Scotland + Venice news

Scotland + Venice is delighted to announce the names of the 17 Scotland-based individuals that will take part in the 2019 Professional Development Programme. The programme offers a significant opportunity to support Scotland’s presentation of new video work by Charlotte Prodger at this year’s Venice Biennale of Art, May-November 2019.

Cove Park – an international artists residency centre based in Scotland – is spearheading the Scotland + Venice Professional Development Programme. This year, in addition to partnering with six Scottish Art Schools and Colleges, the Programme will benefit from new collaborations with the Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN) and Templar Arts and Leisure Centre (talc), Argyll and Bute. The aim is to open up this opportunity beyond those currently in further or higher education to help address the significant barriers that people can face in pursuing or progressing a professional career in the visual arts.

The Professional Development Programme receives support from the participating institutions, with additional funding from the Art Fund, from the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and from British Council Scotland.

Leading the group’s inaugural training residency at Cove Park in Argyll and Bute, Alexia Holt, Cove Park’s Associate Director & Visual Arts Programme Producer said: “Residency programmes for artists and professional development training for arts professionals are key to supporting the arts in Scotland and we’re incredibly pleased that the Professional Development Programme’s model has been expanded to include those based within Cove Park’s own region and those identified through our new partnership with SCAN.”

As key members of the Scotland + Venice team at the exhibition space, the 17 team members will have a unique and valuable opportunity to stay in Venice, learn new skills, develop professional and international networks and gain professional experience in the unique setting of the Venice Biennale, one of the world’s biggest and most prestigious contemporary visual arts festivals.

Colleges, organisations and individuals taking part are:

City of Glasgow College: Emma Blackhall

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art: Kaya Fraser and Katheryne Morrison

Edinburgh College of Art: Aisling Ward, Eleanor Beale, Frances Driscoll and Maria Oliver Smith

Glasgow School of Art: Harvey Dimond, Aki Hassan and Soorin Shin

Gray’s School of Art: Courtney Barr and Lauren Fergusson

Templar Arts and Leisure Centre (talc.): Grace Carroll and Isaac Stanesby

Scottish Contemporary Arts Network (SCAN): Thomas Abercromby and Foxy

University of Highlands and Islands: Jenny Sprenger

An integral part of the Scotland + Venice presentation, the Professional Development Programme began 15 years ago and, to date, over 100 students from eight Scottish art institutes of further and higher Education have taken part, many of whom have gone on to secure work throughout the visual arts sector.

Nicole Heidtke, Programme Leader, talc. said: “We are delighted to hear that Grace and Isaac will be given this professional development opportunity during the Venice Biennale for Scotland + Venice. They worked hard last year as talc.'s trainees, and we are certain that they will do a fantastic job of introducing Charlotte Prodger's work to visitors, and of representing Scotland.  For talc. it is an honour to work with Cove Park and Scotland + Venice to support these two young people.”

Clare Harris, Director, SCAN, said: “The Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN) is delighted to support the Scotland + Venice Professional Development Programme as it opens out beyond higher and further education partnerships.  It is a fantastic opportunity for professional training, work experience and individual creative development. SCAN know that all kinds of barriers exist that prevent talented people from joining the visual arts profession or from progressing in their chosen field, these can include socio-economic barriers, access to higher education, and entrenched inequalities. We are confident that our candidates will be brilliant ambassadors for Scotland and for Charlotte Prodger’s work and that their skills, energy and life experience will enrich the project. Having met with so many inspirational candidates from across Scotland and from a wide range of backgrounds we hope that many more such open opportunities can be shared in the cultural sector.”

Amanda Catto, Head of Visual Art at Creative Scotland and Chair of the Scotland + Venice partnership, said: “We’re extremely proud of the Professional Development Programme that Scotland + 

Venice has established with its many partners over the last 15 years.  The programme offers an un

precedented opportunity for the participants to gain exposure to some of the very best contemporary art from across the world and to develop new skills and professional connections.  We understand the very real and significant benefits that flow from the programme and we are delighted to have forged new partnerships for 2019 which will further extend the opportunity to people who may be facing barriers to pursuing a career in the arts.” 

Norah Campbell, Head of Arts, British Council Scotland said, “We are proud to support this initiative to widen the reach of these valuable international opportunities, as they offer the potential to make significant contributions to the careers of those who will be taking part”.

Stephen Deuchar, Director, Art Fund, said, “These professional development placements promise both to open up the important work of artist Charlotte Prodger to international audiences and give vital career opportunities in the visual arts to people from across Scotland who might otherwise never have got the chance. It’s a fantastic initiative and we’re proud to support it.”

2007 participant Lottie Thorne commented: “This is a great opportunity for anyone taking part.  Not only are you living and working in one of the most historically rich and beautiful cities in the world, you have access to the best of the best in terms of contemporary art. The impact on my career is directly linked to this opportunity; people I met, both artists and partners, informed my understanding of and passion for working in the visual arts sector in Scotland. The reputation of the project, and connections I made being associated with it, equipped me with knowledge and confidence to secure work at the Scottish Arts Council, Creative Scotland and British Council Scotland, engaging with senior partners, practicing artists and project producers.”